Paper forming apparatus



Nov. 2, 1965 J. BAXTER, JR.. ETAL PAPER FORMING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 8, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG -1 55 INVENTORS JOSEPH BAXTER, JR., WESLEY S. CORBIN, MARSHALL S. GREEN,

FREDERICK A.MARTIN 8 WALTER E. ROJECKI BY M4 M9 ATTORNEYS Nov. 2, 1965 J. BAXTER, JR., ETAL 3,215,594

PAPER FORMING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 8, 1962 s m T N E V W JOSEPH BAXTER JR. WESLEY S. CORBIN,

MARSHALL S. GREEN FREDERICK A. MARTIN a WALTER E. RQJECKI M M? ATTORNEYS Nov. 2, 1965 J. BAXTER, JR., ETAL 3,215,

PAPER FORMING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 8, 1962 FIG-4 ETC .MO

WMC E BSuW HYA R 3? 3 m WMmW HHIHHH FIG 525% I I I I l I "IHHH 1 kQO FIG-6 ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,215,594 PAPER FORMING APPARATUS Joseph Baxter, Jr., Franklin, Ohio, and Wesley S. Corbin, Marshall S. Green, Frederick A. Martin, and Walter E. Rojecki, Water-town, N.Y., assignors to The Black- Clawson Company, Hamilton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Oct. 8, 1962, Ser. No. 232,337 8 Claims. (Cl. 162-303) This invention relates to paper making machinery.

The invention has special relation to: paper machinery of the general type shown in Baxter Patent No. 2,969,114 and characterized by the incorporation of a pair of forming wires arranged to travel vertically in closely spaced relation defining a forming zone wherein formation of the paper sheet takes place. The major objects of the present invention relate to the provision of a paper making machine offering improved features of structure and operation over the apparatus shown in the Baxter patent.

Thus it is one object of the presnt invention to provide paper making apparatus of the above general type wherein effective drainage of the water from the forming zone is carried out without the use of applied vacuum by means of a plurality of deflectors which support the portions of the wires traveling through the forming zone.

Another object of the invention is to provide paper making apparatus of the above general type incorporating an improved arrangement of parts for effecting separation of the newly formed sheet from one of the forming wires and transfer of the sheet to a felt for transmitting it to the next station of the paper machine.

A further object of the invention is to provide paper making apparatus as outlined above wherein the deflectors which support the wires in the forming zone are arranged for selective adjustment in vertical and horizontal directions and also rotationally in order to vary the shape of the forming zone and to effect related variation of the physical properties of the newly formed sheet.

Still further objects and advantages of the invention will be aparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.

In the drawings FIG. 1 is a side elevational view illustrating somewhat diagramatically the front side of one form of paper making apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken as in dicated by line 22 of FIG. 1 and with the forming wire removed;

FIG. 3 is a somewhat diagrammatic elevational view looking from left to right in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragment of FIG. 2 for the purpose of illustrating the structure and mounting arrangement of one of the deflectors shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 5 is a section taken generally as indicated by the line 55 of FIG. 4; and

FIGS. 69 are schematic views illustrating typical configurations of the forming zone in the machine of FIGS. 1 and 3 which can be obtained in accordance with the invention.

Referring to the drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, FIGS. 1 and 3 show the general construction of a paper machine wherein the main frame includes a pair of uprights 10 and 11 and a cross beam 12. A pair of cantilever beams 13 are mounted on the cross beam 12 to extend forwardly therefrom, and at the back side of the machine, the ends of the cantilever beams 13 are tied down by a cross beam 15 and legs 16. The cross beam 12 supports a pair of upright beams and 21 at the back of the machine which are tied together at the top by a cross beam 22. In a similar manner, the beams 23 and 24 extend upwardly from rigid connections with the front ends of the cantilever beams 13, but they are not interconnected at the upper ends so that removal and replacement of the forming wires is facilitated.

The upright beams 20, 21, 23 and 24 support a pair of breast rolls and 31 on their uppermost ends by suitable bearing blocks 33 secured to the upright beams. The breast rolls 30 and 31 are thus maintained in a common horizontal plane and is horizontally spaced relation to define a nip 35 therebetween.

A pair of couch rolls and 41 are mounted below the respective breast rolls (FIG 3), with the roll 40 being carried by a shaft 42 which is journaled in the bearings 44 supported from the cross beam 12 and the adjacent cantilever beam 13. The couch roll 41 is carried by a cantilevered shaft 45 supported by bearings 46 depending from the cross beam 12 and an additional cross beam 47 secured to the underside of the beams 13, as shown in FIG. 3,

A pair of forming wires 50 and 51 are looped around the respective breast and couch rolls as shown in FIG. 1, and the couch rolls are driven by suitable means, not shown, to cause the two wires to travel downwardly through the nip 35 toward and around the couch rolls 40 and 41. With the breast rolls 30 and 31 and the couch rolls 40 and 41 mounted in horizontally spaced relation as shown, the wires 50 and 51 thus define a forming zone 52 therebetween into which stock is continuously delivered from a headbox, such as shown at 55, which is mounted on the frame in position to deliver stock continuously from a supply pipe 56 to the upper side of the nip 35. The headbox is shown as of the same construction disclosed in patents to Baxter No. 2,969,114 issued January 24, 1961 and No. 3,051,233 issued August 28, 1962, and further detailed description thereof is believed to be unnecessary. HeadboXes of other constructions may also be used without departing from the scope of this invention so long as they deliver a continuous stream of stock to the nip 35.

Each of the wires 50 and 51 is provided with continuous guide means in the form of a fixed guide roll 60 and a movable guide roll 61, both carried by a pair of mounting plates 62 which are suitably secured to the associated upright beams 20-24 by the bracket 63. The movable guide roll 61 is shown as provided with a guide unit 65, preferably of the construction shown in the copending application of Walter E. Rojecki Serial No. 69,582, filed November 16, 1960, now Patent No. 3,079,805 issued March 5, 1963 to the assignee of this application, although other automatic giude means for maintaining the wires in a predetermined path of travel can be used.

As the wires 50 and 51 travel downwardly through the forming zone 52, the respective wires are guided and supported in accordance with the invention by a plurality of deflector assemblies indicated generally at and mounted on auxiliary frameworks, each comprising an upright 71 and a pair of crosspieces 72 and 73 mounted on one of the upright beams 21-24. The deflector assemblies 70 are shown as being arranged in pairs on opposite sides of the forming zone 52 for cooperation with the adjacent wire 50 and 51 to form a composite guide for directing thet ravel of the wires through the froming zone 52. In addition, these deflector assemblies are preferably positioned so that the horizontal spacing between the assemblies in each pair progressively decreases in the direction of travel causing the wires to converge and thereby to compact into a sheet the fibers which remain in the forming zone after the water in 3 the stock has been removed through the wires. While the assemblies 70 are shown as arranged in pairs, it is to be understood that they can be vertically staggered without departing from the scope of this invention, thusv further providing one expedient for changing the shape of the forming zone 52.

As shown in FIG. 1, the bottom pair of deflector assemblies 70 are positioned horizontally in substantially more closely spaced relation than the surfaces of the two couch rolls and 41 so that the wires and 51 tend to diverge as they travel from the lowermost assemblies to the couch rolls. In order to separate the newly formed sheets from the wire 51 and to maintain it on the wire 50, a stationary suction box is mounted, as shown in FIG. 1, within the loop of the wire 50 and just above the couch roll 40 so that the sheet is drawn to the surface of the wire 50. In addition, the couch roll 40 is preferably a suction roll provided with an internal suction box 77 which will similarly act to hold the sheet on the wire 50 as it travels around the roll 40. Adjacent the suction box 77 is a similar suction box 78 having a higher degree of suction for drawing additional liquid from the paper sheet so that the area of contact between the sheets and the forming wire 50 is wetted to facilitate separation of the sheet by the transfer roll 80.

The transfer is effected by the internal suction box 82 in the roll wihch removes the paper sheets from the forming wire 50 and brings it into contact with the transfer felt 83 which then conveys the sheet directly to the first press section, not shown. Preferably the run of felt 83 from roll 80 is guided as shown along a direction substantially tangent to the nip of the rolls 40 and 80 for maximum ease of transsfer of the sheet from wire 50 to the felt 83. Thus the complex transfer machinery normally used between the forming zone and the first press section is eliminated, and the sheet is transferred directly from the sheet forming equipment to the first press section with a substantial reduction in the cost of the machinery required to perform this operation.

The structure and mode of operation of the deflector assemblies 70 are shown in more detail in FIGS. 2 and 4-9, and in accordance with the invention, each of the deflector assemblies is mounted for vertical or horizontal adjustment and also rotational adjustment with respect to the main frame. Thus referring particularly to FIGS. 4 and 5, each of the deflector assemblies includes a base plate 88 having a forwardly extending portion 89 to which a deflector 90 is removably secured as by a bolt and nut 91. Since the individual deflectors 90 engage and support the back surface of the wires during operation of the macihne, they are preferably constructed of a wear resistant material which will at the same time have minimum abrasive eflect on the wire. Satisfactory results for this purpose have been obtained utilizing the plastic laminate sold under the trade name Micarta, although other suitable materials can be used, such for example as the Teflon resins. It is desirable to maintain the face 93 parallel to the associated wire 50 or 51, so that preferabl the deflectors 90 will be changed each time an angular adjustment is made in the position of an assembly 70.

Each of the base plates 88 has an angle bracket 95 secured to each of its outer ends by a nut and bolt 96, and each of these brackets 95 is in turn adjustably secured to one of the uprights 71 by a bolt 99 and an associated nut. Each bracket 95 is provided with an elongated slot100 for receiving the associated bolt 99 to provide for adjustment of the base plate 88 and deflector 90 generally horizontally with respect to the associated wire. In addition, the brackets 95 can pivot about the bolts 99 as indicated in dotted lines in FIG. 5, and the base plate 88 is held firmly in each of its associated positions about the bolts 99 by means of a pair of bolts 101 threaded through the base plate 88 adjacent each end thereof and adapted to engage the adjacent face portion of the associated upright 71 to brace the deflector assembly against the forces imparted thereto by engagement with the wire. In addition, the uprights 71 are provided with a plurality of holes 102 for receiving the bolts 99 to provide for vertical adjustment of the several deflector assemblies and also for variation of the total number of assembles to be used.

FIGS. 6-9 illustrate schematically typical cross-sectional configurations of the forming zone which may be obtained by appropriate adjustment of the deflector assemblies 70. Thus in FIG. 6, the deflector assemblies are arranged to cause uniform convergence of the two wires and thereby to impart a uniformly tapered configuration to the forming zone 52. In FIG. 7, the deflectors are arranged to cause the forming zone 52a to taper relatively slowly in its upper portion but at a more rapid rate towards its lower portion. In FIG. 8, the angle of taper decreases along the length of the forming zone 52b, while in FIG. 9, the forming zone 520 includes a plurality of straight line sections.

In addition to their function with respect to defining the forming zone, the deflectors 90 have an important function in effecting and controlling removal of water from the forming zone duirng the formation of the new sheet. Thus if more deflectors are used and are arranged in relatively closely spaced relation, the drainage is decreased in the area of the associate wire opposite such more closely spaced deflectors, and under some conditions this may be desirable, particularly near the upper end of the forming zone. Such arrangements are dictated in part by the characteristics desired in the sheet. Thus if water is removed quickly in the upper portion of the forming zone, there will be less time for small fibers to migrate to the surface than if the drain-age is held down during initial formation, so that in the former case the sheet will be relatively homogeneous in section while in the later case, there will tend to be more small fibers along the surface with the longer fibers tending to be located in the middle sections of the sheet.

A further characteristic of the function of the deflectors 90 is best described inconnection with the operation of the apparatus as a whole, during which stock is continuous ly supplied to the nip 35 while the wires 50 and 51 are moving downwardly through this nip at relatively high speed. The stock moves downwardly through the nip 35 at essentially the speed of the wires, and the white water therein is progressively removed as the wires converge downwardly along the opposite sides of the forming zone 52.

With the apparatus constructed as described, the forces tending to remove the water from the forming zone are effectively uniform on both sides of the sheet, since these forces are only those produced by gravity and by the arrangement of paired deflectors 90. The water is therefore removed uniformly form both sides of the sheet during its formation, thereby effectively eliminating the two-sided effect produced by conventional papermaking apparatus. As the water passes through the wires, the deflectors 90 have a skimming effect causing it to be thrown outwardly and downwardly from the forming zone, and it is readily collected and removed by means such as the troughs indicated at 110, each of which has a drainage line 111 leading therefrom at the back of the machine. Since the largest portion of the water is removed from the stock in the area between the upper and lower assemblies 70, it should be appreciated that the effective length of the water removing area can be varied by lengthening or shortening the area between the upper and lower deflectors.

Paper making apparatus constructed as described above is capable of making paper at substantially higher speeds than have heretofore been possible, and it does not require suction apparatus for removing water during sheet formation, other than the limited use of suction equipment as described for controlling the position of the sheet on the wires and transfer felt. Thus the apparatus is capable of producing thirty-pound (per 3000 square feet) paper with a forming zone of the order of only seven feet in length and with the forming wires moving at speeds of the order of 3000 to 3500 feet per minute, and in addition to the advantages of high-speed operation and elimination of conventional suction equipment, the resulting paper will have the further major advantage of freedom from twosidedness. Under these production conditions, adequate results are obtainable utilizing seven pairs of spaced deflector assemblies 70, and the number, spacing and angular positions of the deflectors can be varied as desired to effect changes in the fiber distribution and orientation in the sheet.

While the form of apparatus herein described consti tutes a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this precise form of apparatus, and that changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In paper making apparatus comprising a frame, a pair of breast rolls, means supporting said breast rolls on said frame in closely spaced relation for defining a nip therebetween, a pair of couch rolls associated with said breast rolls respectively, means supporting said couch rolls in spaced relation from the associated said breast rolls, a pair of endless forming webs looped around associated said breast and couch rolls for travel through said nip to said couch rolls in laterally spaced relation defining a forming zone therebetween, the loop of each such web defining a space open to atmosphere, and headbox means supported on said frame for delivering stock to said nip for flow between such webs and outward flow of the liquid in the stock through such webs into said spaces to effect formation of a sheet in said forming zone, a plurality of deflector means mounted in each said space and arranged in pairs on opposite sides of said forming zone for engagement with the surface of the adjacent such Web, said deflector means being arranged transversely of such webs in spaced relation with each other for guiding direction of travel of the associated such web from said breast rolls to said couch rolls while providing for outward flow of liquid therebetween from said forming zone, and drainage means for removing the liquid from said spaces, the improvement comprising means for selectively and individually adjusting each said pair of deflector means to vary the shape of said forming zone.

2. In paper making apparatus comprising a frame, a pair of breast rolls, means supporting said breast rolls on said frame in closely spaced relation in a horizontal plane and defining a vertically extending nip therebetween, a pair of couch rolls associated with said breast rolls respectively, means supporting said couch rolls in vertically spaced relation below the associated said breast rolls, a pair of endess forming webs looped around associated said breast and couch rolls for downward travel through said nip to said couch rolls in laterally spaced relation defining a forming zone therebetween, the loop of each of such webs defining a space open to atmosphere, and headbox means supported on said frame for delivering stock downwardly to said nip for downward flow between such webs and outward flow of the liquid in the stock through such webs into said spaces to effect formation of a sheet in said forming zone, a plurality of deflector means mounted in each said space and arranged in pairs on opposite sides of said forming zone for engagement with the surface of the adjacent such web, said deflector means being arranged in vertically spaced relation for cooperation with each other to guide the direction of travel of the associated such web from said breast rolls to said couch rolls while providing for outward flow of liquid therebetween from said forming zone, and drainage means for removing the liquid from said spaces, the improvement comprising means for selectively effecting vertical adjustment, horizontal adjustment and rotational adjustment of each said deflector means with respect to the associated such web to vary the direction of travel of such web and thereby to vary the shape of said forming zone.

3. Paper making apparatus comprising a frame, a pair of breast rolls, means supporting said breast rolls on said frame in closely spaced relation in a horizontal plane and defining a vertically extending nip therebetween, a pair of couch rolls associated with said breast rolls respectively, means supporting said couch rolls in vertically spaced relation below the associated said breast rolls, a pair of endless forming webs looped around associated said breast and couch rolls for downward travel through said nip to said couch rolls in laterally spaced relation defining a forming zone therebetween, the loop of each such web defining a space open to atmosphere, and headbox means supported on said frame for delivering stock downwardly to said nip for downward flow between such webs and outward flow of the liquid in the stock through such webs into said spaces to effect formation of a continuous sheet in said forming zone, a plurality of deflector means mounted in each said space and arranged in pairs on opposite sides of said forming zone for engagement with the surface of the adjacent such web, said deflector means being arranged in vertically spaced relation for cooperation with each other to guide the direction of travel of the associated such web from said breast rolls to said couch rolls while providing for outward flow of liquid therebetween from said forming zone, drainage means for removing the liquid from said spaces, the lowermost pair of said deflector means being at least as closely spaced as said couch rolls to cause such webs to converge only in the space between said breast rolls and said lowermost deflector means, a suction box mounted between said lowermost deflector means and one of said couch rolls for causing the sheet to adhere to the associated such web, said one couch roll having a suction box therein for effecting retention of the sheet on such associated web, and means including a second suction roll and a felt associated with said one couch roll for effecting transfer of the sheet from such associated web to said felt.

4. In paper making apparatus comprising a frame, a pair of breast rolls, means supporting said breast rolls on said frame in closely spaced relation in a horizontal plane and defining a vertically extending nip therebetween, a pair of couch rolls associated with said breast rolls respectively, means supporting said couch rolls in vertically spaced relation below the associated said breast rolls, a pair of endless forming webs looped around associated said breast and couch rolls for downward travel through said nip to said couch rolls in laterally spaced relation defining a forming zone therebetween, the loop of each such web defining a space open to atmosphere, and headbox means supported on said frame for delivering stock downwardly to said nip for downward flow between such webs and outward flow of the liquid in the stock through such webs into said spaces to effect formation of a continuous sheet in said forming zone, and drainage means for removing said liquid from said spaces, the combination of a suction box mounted immediately above one of said couch rolls for causing the sheet to adhere to the associated such web, said one couch roll having a suction box therein for effecting retention of the sheet on such associated web, and means including a second suction roll and a felt associated with said one couch roll for effecting transfer of the sheet from such associated web to said felt.

5. In paper making apparatus including a frame, a pair of breast rolls, means supporting said breast rolls on said frame in closely spaced relation in a horizontal plane and defining a vertically extending nip therebetween, a pair of couch rolls associated with said breast rolls respectively, means supporting said couch rolls in vertically spaced relation below the associated said breast rolls, guide rolls for cooperation with said breast and couch rolls to support a pair of endless forming webs looped around associated said breast and couch rolls for downward travel through said nip to said couch rolls in laterally spaced relation defining a forming zone therebetween, the loop of each such web defining a space, and headbox means supported on said frame for delivering stock downwardly to said nip for downward flow between such webs and outward flow of the liquid in the stock through such webs into said spaces to effect formation of a continuous sheet in said forming zone, a plurality of deflectors mounted in each said space and arranged in pairs on opposite sides of said forming zone for engagement with the surface of the adjacent such web, said deflectors being arranged in vertically spaced relation for cooperation with each other to guide the direction of travel of the associated such web from said breast rolls to said couch rolls and to skim liquid from the adjacent surface of such webs for outward flow therebetween from said forming zone, and drainage means positioned to receive liquid from said deflectors and to remove such liquid from said spaces, the improvement comprising means for effecting relative adjustment of said deflectors transversely of the direction of web travel therebetween to cause corresponding adjustment of the spacing between such pair of webs.

6. Paper making apparatus comprising a pair of breast rolls mounted in closely spaced relation in a horizontal plane and defining a vertically extending nip therebetween, a pair of couch rolls associated with said breast rolls respectively and supported in vertically spaced relation below the associated said breast rolls, a pair of endless forming Webs looped around associated said breast and couch rolls for downward travel through said nip to said couch rolls in laterally spaced relation defining a forming zone therebetween, the loop of each said web defining a space open to atmosphere laterally of said web, headbox means arranged to deliver stock downwardly to said nip for downward flow between said webs and outward flow of the liquid in the stock through said webs into said spaces to effect formation of a continuous sheet in said forming zone, deflector means mounted in each said space on opposite sides of said forming zone for engagement with the surface of the adjacent said web, said deflector means extending transversely of said web in spaced relation for cooperation with each other to guide the direction of travel of the associated said web from said breast rolls to said couch rolls and to skim liquid from the surface of said webs for flow therebetween into said spaces, a suction box mounted within the loop of one of said webs and adjacent said couch roll in said loop for causing the sheet to adhere to said one web, and drainage means positioned to receive liquid from said deflector means and to remove such liquid from said spaces.

7. Paper making apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said drainage means comprises a trough supported within the loop of each of said webs and below the lowermost said deflector means in the associated said loop '8 for receiving liquid flowing downwardly from said deflector means and removing the same from within said loops.

8. Paper making apparatus comprising a frame, a pair of breast rolls mounted on said frame in closely spaced relation in a horizontal plane and defining a vertically extending nip therebetween, a pair of couch rolls associated with said breast rolls respectively and supported on said frame in vertically spaced relation below the associated said breast rolls, a pair of endless forming webs looped around associated said breast and couch rolls for downward travel through said nip to said couch rolls in laterally spaced relation defining a forming zone therebetween, the loop of each said web defining a space open to atmosphere laterally of said web, headbox means supported on said frame for delivering stock downwardly to said nip for downward flow between said webs and outward flow of the liquid in the stock through said webs into said spaces to effect formation of a continuous sheet in said forming zone, deflector means mounted in each said space on opposite sides of said forming zone for engagement with the adjacent said web to skim liquid from the surface of said web for flow into said space, drainage means positioned to receive liquid from said deflector means and to remove such liquid from said spaces, said deflector means extending transversely of said web in spaced relation for cooperation with each other to guide the direction of travel of the associated said web from said breast rolls to said couch rolls and to support said webs with said forming zone therebetween and said spaces in the loops thereof all open to atmosphere laterally of said webs, adjustable supporting means for said deflector means arranged to position the lowermost said deflector means in each of said loops in predetermined more closely horizontally spaced relation than said couch rolls to cause the portions of said webs below said lowermost deflector means to diverge as they approach said couch rolls, and means for causing the sheet to adhere to one of said diverging web portions and to separate from the other thereof.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 25,333 2/63 Baxter l62203 1,875,075 8/32 Mason 162203 2,969,114 1/61 Baxter 162203 2,977,277 3/61 Kelly 162--203 3,066,068 11/62 Calehuff et al 162364 OTHER REFERENCES Corbin, W. W.: Here it is the Verti Forma, Paper Mill News, Oct. 9, 1961, pp. 6, 13, 16, and 17.

DONNALL H. SYLVESTER, Primary Examiner.

MORRIS O. WOLK, Examiner. 

1. IN PAPER MAKING APPARATUS COMPRISING A FRAME, A PAIR OF BREAST ROLLS, MEANS SUPPORTING SAID BREAST ROLLS ON SAID FRAME IN CLOSELY SPACED RELATION FOR DEFINING A NIP THEREBETWEEN, A PAIR OF COUCH ROLLS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID BREAST ROLLS RESPECTIVELY, MEANS SUPPORTING SAID COUCH ROLLS IN SPACED RELATION FROM THE ASSOCIATED SAID BREAST ROLLS, A PAIR OF ENDLESS FORMING WEBS LOOPED AROUND ASSOCIATED SAID BREAST AND COUCH ROLLS FOR TRAVEL THROUGH SAID NIP TO SAID COUCH ROLLS IN LATERALLY SPACED RELATION DEFINING A FORMING ZONE THEREBETWEEN, THE LOOP OF EACH SUCH WEB DEFINING A SPACE OPEN TO ATMOSPHERE, AND HEADBOX MEANS SUPPORTED ON SAID FRAME FOR DELIVERING STOCK OF TO SAID NIP FOR FLOW BETWEEN SUCH WEBS AND OUTWARD FLOW OF THE LIQUID IN THE STOCK THROUGH SUCH WEBS INTO SAID SPACES TO EFFECT FORMATION OF A SHEET IN SAID FORMING ZONE, A PLURALITY OF DEFLECTOR MEANS MOUNTED IN EACH SAID SPACE AND ARRANGED IN PAIRS ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID FORMING ZONE FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH THE SURFACE OF THE ADJACENT SUCH WEB, SAID DEFLECTOR MEANS BEING ARRANGED TRANSVERSELY OF SUCH WEBS IN SPACED RELATION WITH EACH OTHER FOR GUIDING DIRECTION OF TRAVEL OF THE ASSOCIATED SUCH WEB FROM SAID BREAST ROLLS TO SAID COUCH ROLLS WHILE PROVIDING FOR OUTWARD FLOW OF LIQUID THEREBETWEEN FROM SAID FORMING ZONE, AND DRAINAGE MEANS FOR REMOVING THE LIQUID FROM SAID SPACES, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY AND INDIVIDUALLY ADJUSTING EACH SAID PAIR OF DEFLECTOR MEANS TO VARY THE SHAPE OF SAID FORMING ZONE. 